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The Back-Calculation of Fish Growth From Otoliths

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Tropical Fish Otoliths: Information for Assessment, Management and Ecology

Part of the book series: Reviews: Methods and Technologies in Fish Biology and Fisheries ((REME,volume 11))

Abstract

The earliest example of using earbones or otoliths to provide estimates of fish ages dates back to at least 1899 (Reibisch, cited in Jones 1992). Back-calculation to reconstruct growth patterns from hard parts of fish (otoliths, bones and scales) followed soon after (Lea 1910). The approach involves using measurements made on these bony structures to infer, or back-calculate, body length at ages prior to capture. Back-calculation has been used to generate individual growth histories of fishes for almost a century (Francis 1990) and has proved to be an invaluable tool for fisheries scientists and fish ecologists.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, BP 70, 29280, Plouzané, France

    Laurent Vigliola

  2. Australian Institute of Marine Science, PO Box 40197, Casuarina, MC 0811, NT, Australia

    Mark G. Meekan

Authors
  1. Laurent Vigliola
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  2. Mark G. Meekan
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Correspondence to Laurent Vigliola .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Tasmanian Aquaculture & Fisheries Inst. Crustacean Research Group, University of Tasmania, 7001, Hobart, TAS, Australia

    Bridget S. Green  & Gary Carlos  & 

  2. Centre for Australian Weather & Climate Research, A Research Partnership between CSIRO and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, GPO Box 1538, Hobart, TAS, Australia

    Bruce D. Mapstone

  3. Dept. Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry, Bureau of Rural Sciences, ACT 2601, Canberra, Australia

    Gavin A. Begg

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Vigliola, L., Meekan, M.G. (2009). The Back-Calculation of Fish Growth From Otoliths. In: Green, B.S., Mapstone, B.D., Carlos, G., Begg, G.A. (eds) Tropical Fish Otoliths: Information for Assessment, Management and Ecology. Reviews: Methods and Technologies in Fish Biology and Fisheries, vol 11. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5775-5_6

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